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New Ferrari F1 car looks like a big step up, says Sebastian Vettel

SILVERSTONE, England — Ferrari's new SF71H Formula One car already looks a big step up from last year's before it has turned a wheel in anger, four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel said at Thursday's unveiling. The sport's oldest and most successful team is hoping the car, with more red and less white in the livery following the departure of sponsor Santander, will take it to a first championship in a decade. Vettel won five races last season but finished runner-up to Mercedes' Lewis Hamilton, who is now also a four-time world champion. "Now is the time when you see the car, it's all ready and you want to get in and go out on the track and have a go," the German told guests at the Italian team's Maranello factory. "To stand here now is very special for all of us. I think they are all waiting for us to say how it feels. So we can't wait to get out on track to see how the car performs, how it behaves. "I think that's the answer that we all want to hear, and we go from there. For sure, the amount of effort that has gone in and the attention to detail in so many areas is impressive." The presentation, online and through social media channels, came on the same day that Mercedes was showing off its new F1 W09 car. In an act of sportsmanship, the British-based team made sure reporters attending their event at Silverstone could watch the Ferrari unveiling on television screens during a break for lunch. Ferrari technical head Mattia Binotto said the car, narrower and with a slightly longer wheelbase as well as more aggressive sidepods, was an evolution of the 2017 car, which performed well on slower speed circuits but lacked reliability. "Every little detail matters, every part can make a difference, and I think this year's car is a big step from last year's," declared Vettel, whose four titles were with Red Bull between 2010 and 2013. Finnish teammate Kimi Raikkonen, who is now 38 and out of contract at the end of the season, said it looked good despite the addition of the now-mandatory halo head-protection device. "When it looks nice, the speed is also there. But obviously we will see that next week," said the 2007 world champion who will be testing the car with Vettel at Barcelona's Circuit de Catalunya next week. Reporting by Alan BaldwinRelated Video:

Watch the trailer for 'Ferrari 312B: Where the revolution begins' documentary

It's not often that a car gets to star in its own silver screen documentary, but the Ferrari 312B is doing just that, as the 1970-introduced Formula 1 car is being featured in Ferrari 312B: Where the revolution begins. The 312B launched a new era for the Italian marque. The B stood for "boxer," referencing the 180-degree 3.0-liter 12-cylinder engine, which replaced the preceding 312's 60-degree V12. The groundbreaking flat engine enabled the new car to have a lower center of gravity, which among other benefits, allowed more space for unhindered airflow above it. The body designs that graced the 312B were unconventional, earning one particularly nose-heavy-looking car the nickname "snowplow." As a dramatic story arc requires, the newly designed engine proved unreliable in its early guise, taking years of honing for it to be properly nailed. Racing legends Niki Lauda, Jacky Ickx, Jackie Stewart, Gerhard Berger and Damon Hill are among those to analyze the car and the years that turned Ferrari's fortunes around. The 1970 car even returns to the Monaco race track all these years later, having been overhauled by a team led by its original engineer – Mauro Forghieri. The documentary hits American theaters Nov. 17.

All the crazy stuff we saw at McCall's Motorworks Revival

Every year, Gordon McCall puts on a lavish event packed with rare cars and planes (and the type of people that can afford rare cars and planes). And every year, more ridiculous stuff shows up. It's the good kind of machine overload. It's likely the only place in the world where you'll see a line of BMW 3.0s next to some Paganis next to a Porsche 911 by Singer Design next to a Ferrari salt racer next to a custom Olds Riviera next to the latest from Koenigsegg next to he coolest stuff Shelby ever made next to a hangar filled with McLarens, including a few P1 GTRs. And then all of that is surrounded by private jets, fighters, and planes that could have flown in directly from WWII. In a word, it's insane. Walk through the gallery above to get a taste for what was there this year for the event's 25th anniversary. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 McCall's Motorworks Revival View 29 Photos Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Drew Phillips / Autoblog Motorsports Misc. Auto Shows BMW Ferrari McLaren Porsche Koenigsegg